came across this video on utube. it prompted me to do a video test of my own to test a new mistubishi factory damper, against my well used, five year old fluidampr. (early alloy style) engine is a 2.3 with balance shafts. first video is from utube. clearly an undamped pulley is a bad idea. I would have liked to do a third video with power pulley. but the power pulley uses shorter belts. the fluidampr was swapped in quickly so videos are 10 minutes apart. second two are my videos. the first video if you listen at the last rev ~25 seconds, you can hear a distinct whine. also notice how slow the engine revs. on the second video the engine is revved higher than in the first. the engine revs quicker, smoother, and without that whine. in short if you care about your most important investment, the engine, buy a fluidampr.

 

Thanks for doing a comparison. I had a friend who was questioning why I put on one my BR 2.3 w/o balance shafts. I figured it could only help, nice to see that it really does help!

 

Thanks--- the most compelling info as yet. Have been leaning that direction ( fluid dampner)for a while. Now I see what I get--- thanks again for an up front comparison.

 

Are you using a stub shaft or an AMS/GSC kit? How is the vibration with the fluidamper?

 

It is a Buschur motor so it has the stub shaft.
Seems to run and sound very similar to AWD94coupe's vids. I didn't run it much before the damper so I couldn't tell you if there was a difference.....well atleast until I saw the videos.


Nice to see it appears to have a big difference. I figured it would have some impact but I really wasn't expecting to see such a difference.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I know you said your engine is 2.3 so we know its not stock, would you recommend running one on a stock engine?

 

On any deviation from a stock bottom end I would use a fluidampr, the stock rubber unit is "tuned" to absorb torsional engine harmonics of a stock rotating assembly. When you start going with a shaved crank, different weight rods, pistons etc, you are going to create engine harmonics outside of the stock tuned units frequency capacity.

 

Can you do it with the motor in the car?

 

Yes

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Here's a great article written by Steve Dinan about using a damper versus an undampened pulley. I'll never use an undampened pulley.

http://www.atiracing.com/products/da...mper_dinan.htm

 

thanks for presenting visual and audio example of Fluidamper effect.
Very interesting.

Now I hope it has some damping effect on my 2.3 without balance shafts vibration at idle.

 

Mine made a huge difference on my 2.3 no ballance shafts

 

Just for some perspective on a stock motor car. I had my stock pulley loosen from vibration (the 4 bolts backed off) and come flying off while driving (probably 70k on the car at the time if I had to guess). It in turn destroyed a few teeth on the timing crank pulley and damaged the timing belt (didn't jump timing, thank god) I replaced it with a Fluidampr and continually check the bolts every 10k miles or so because of being paranoid now haha. Not one of the bolts has backed off at all and never a problem again.

Moral of the story...the stock pulley almost ruined my motor and I would suggest replacing, even on a stock displacement engine with balance shafts still in

Side Note- My car did have cams, so not sure how much extra vibration this led to